A Third Is Darkness by Murray Bailey
Murray Bailey
5 Stars
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Historical
Published: 18 October 2023
Publisher: Three Daggers an imprint of Heritage Books
Publisher's Blurb
Judge not the man
Charles Balcombe cannot control his alter ego.
BlackJack is killing for fun and DI Munro knows his partnership with Balcombe can’t continue.
While Balcombe seeks help, Munro is asked to work for the Hong Kong governor’s aide-de-camp. He seems to be sidelined as Garrett resumes his hunt for the Squeezed-heart murderer.
But people have secrets and the more Munro investigates, the murkier they seem.
When people start dying and with Balcombe’s help, Munro tries to get to the bottom of a conspiracy of silence.
Will he find the truth?
Will Garrett catch his killer?
Will Balcombe learn the truth about himself?
As the psychoanalyst told him: a third of the mind is darkness. If you dig too deep, be prepared. You won’t like what you find there.
Review
The unconventional partnership of Charles Balcombe and DI Munro return in book 3 of the fabulous Blackjack series. A Third is Darkness is, in my opinion, the best in the series so far, probably due to the brilliant groundwork laid down by the author in the previous titles Once A Killer and Second to Sin.
Whilst Balcombe is secretly collaborating with Munro to remove the more unsavory members of the Hong Kong underworld, he is also seeking, via a psychoanalyst, to discover why he has such a dark side and how to counter it.
With Garrett back on the Squeezed Heart Murder case, is time running out for Balcombe's alter ego Blackjack?
With Balcombe falling for the charms of his psychoanalyst, is he about to reveal a little too much about his dark soul.
I highly recommend that you read the previous titles to be able to enjoy the deliciously dark plot and character development in this one.
Balcombe/Blackjack is a complex character that despite his capacity to kill still has the reader rooting for him in a similar way to the lead character in the TV Show Dexter.
But this isn't just about Blackjack, Munro plays a significant role in the story and also serves to highlight the racism in 1950's Hong Kong as he seeks to solve the crimes of the day. His witty relationship with the Coroner adds a little light relief to contrast the darkness of his dealings with Balcombe.
As the police inch closer to discovering Blackjack's identity it explodes in a fantastic finale that will change the lives of all concerned.
An absolutely cracking read - I can't wait for book 4
After 10 years of scribbling, in 2016 his first published novel was I Dare You. He went on to demonstrate his passion for ancient Egypt and puzzles in his novel Map of the Dead. However the Singapore series featuring the ex-military policeman Ash Carter was a labour of love and based on his first unpublished story that eventually became Singapore 52.
Born in Greater Manchester, England, he gradually moved south to reach the beautiful Dorset coast where he lives with his wife and family. Having young children and an all-consuming passion such as writing doesn’t leave much free time, but when he does take a break, he enjoys running, cycling, kayaking and building sandcastles with his children.
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